Memories
by Yami no Majou077
Summary: Slightly sequel to 'Promise'. He came down to Scarlet Moon Empire, intend to pay Leknaat a visit. He never expect to meet familiar face in this place. Reminiscence the past always desperate him yet he couldn't away from it. It's heavy and despair.


I just want to write something to clear my mind.

Suikoden is not belongs to me.

* * *

_Memories_

Stepped on the land of Scarlet Moon Empire, Lazlo gazed at the tower not far from his position.

This was Magician Island, one of the small islands far from Gregminister, capital city of Scarlet Moon Empire. The seer of the empire currently isolated herself in this island or certain reason.

Scarlet Moon Empire, a formidable nation in this northern continent, had influenced towards its nearby land especially City State Jowston at north. Recently, conflict occurred between these two regional nations where Jowston attempting a territorial expansion. But thing went down due to Kalekka Incident.

Wars everywhere…Lazlo couldn't help but feel sick. He's been many places before this, and he saw nothing but conflicts everywhere. Well, it's not like nothing wonderful he ever met during his travel, but he would focus on troubles that might happen.

Wonderful things like the sunset in Grassland and the studied time he spent in Crystal Valley, were something he enjoyed the most during travel. He loved the opening air and freedom when sat down on the plain and felt the blowing wind brushed against his face. He loved it the most. It felt totally different compared to the feeling on board the ship. He felt so free and nice. However, Grasslanderes was a bunch of barbarians. They would fight each other even just a small matter. Their stubbornness and barbarian attitude were what he could ever tolerate.

While in Crystal Valley, capital city of Holy Kingdom Harmonia, he spent most of the times on study. He heard a lot of rumors about Howling Voice Guild, the High Priest Hikusaak, and the matter of pursuing true runes. Not to involved in any conflict especially things linked to true runes, he tried his best avoided and hid the Rune of Punishment during his stay in Holy Kingdom Harmonia. He left that nation after years of enjoying his reading and researching life, decided to go back to Island Nation.

On the way backtracked, he heard about Rune of Condemnation. A cursed rune probably spawned from Rune of Punishment to sanction Doom. It's been told that the rune was hiding behind a tome to drive life force from those who dare to open it. He couldn't leave it be, so he gave a short trip to Falena.

He was the former Queen Knight of Falena that used to serve the Queen. He fought through the New Armes Invasion with Ferid and other Queen Knights. Not that he preferred, but it was because of Ferid. He had promised Skald to look over his son with the least he could. But he forced to leave during a mission which he accidentally exposed the rune to the others. Falena was still in recovering state from the damage of the previous war, he couldn't let the rune caused anymore conflict. That's why he left.

During the search for Rune of Condemnation, he met Frey, son of Ferid and also the prince of Falena. He was happened searching for the fortune teller that gave him the tome. Then, they forced to fight the Book of Condemnation in order to retrieve the Rune of Condemnation and they did it. After a short talk with Frey, he set out again. It's not like he didn't want to help Frey, but he had faith in Frey that he and his friends would do it without his help. He was Freyjodour Falenas after all.

Island Nation, the beautiful nation with clear blue ocean, and also the nation where he was born. This was too, the place he past through all the painful moments and the place where changed his whole life. Island Nation, the place he would never forget, the place he felt home the most even after so many years. Until now, what had happened in the past was still like what happened yesterday to him. His heart would ache whenever he recalled the memories from past. Obel was nothing much changed, only peoples who lived there. All the peoples he knew were gone, replaced by unfamiliar new faces. The only one he knew was Skald. But due to the death of Ferid, he felt shame to face him. At the end, he left without meeting Skald. And then…

Sighed, Lazlo shook away the thought. It's no use to think of what had already happened. What's done was done, and those he loved would never come back. Walked through the forest, Lazlo was heading straight to the Magician Tower. On the way there, he noticed some footsteps on the ground. It's still new, guessed someone was here before him. Kept that in mind, he approached the door and knocked. Later, the door opened, revealed a young boy with yellow brown hair who wearing a magician clothes.

"My master is performing Astral Conclusion. Please come in and wait." The boy said with emotionless voice, a hint of annoyance seemed across his eye.

Ignored it, Lazlo replied the boy a gentle smile. The boy didn't ask anything from him. Looks like Leknaat already informed him about his visit. As the boy leaded the way to the top of the tower, Lazlo heard some voices coming from there.

"Lazlo?"

He heard a voice calling his name. Before he reacted to the call, a blond already stood in front of him with widened eye.

Lazlo winked, blinked at the blond. Frowned, he thought this guy was familiar, but somehow he couldn't recall where he met the blond.

"Did you forget about me? Ah…well, it's been such a long time. Even I thought you're dead." He chuckled, stretched the back of his head.

His words seemed rang a bell in his mind. A familiar face rose up from his mind. He tried to searched the memories for the possible match of the blond in front.

"…Ted?"

"Yes, I am!" Ted patted his shoulder. "Guess you really forget about me, huh?"

Lazlo raised a light smile. "Yep, almost. It's been a long time." 150 years, he guessed? He met so many peoples within these years. It's difficult to recall in such a short time.

The other peoples came nearby.

"Hey Ted, your friend?" The only girl in the group asked. Ted introduced her as Cleo. "Hey, it's nice to meet you."

"Pahn here." The tough guy nodded to him.

"I'm Gremio. Our young master is with lady Leknaat." The other blond gently said.

Lazlo replied them with a smile. "I'm Lazlo, old friend of Ted." He shot Ted a meaningful sight.

"Yeah…a pretty OLD friend." Ted chuckled.

"I thought you got no friend except our young master." Cleo said with a hint of tease, but Ted didn't mind it. Instead, he grabbed Lazlo on his shoulder.

"Sorry guys, we're going to have a chat. Let me know if Tir is out."

"Got it."

They moved to the corner, kept a distance with the others.

"Where have you been after the war? No one told us anything about you, and we couldn't find you anywhere." Ted frowned, seemed unhappy with what happened in past.

Lazlo shrugged. "It's my decision to vanish at the end. King Lino and Princess Flare agreed to help me on this. I'm sorry about that…you know, I don't think I'll make it that time…to stay alive."

His answer shut Ted up. Yes, everyone thought Lazlo should have die after using the power of the rune. His condition was obviously the worst during the final battle in El-Eal, even Ted himself didn't think Lazlo could stay alive. It's truly the best way to vanish instead of having the rune passed to another person. But it just that…it sounded so cruel. Was Lazlo deserved this?

"Hey, don't show me this face. You look like the Ted I met 150 years ago." The cold boy that shut himself from the others. Lazlo smiled. Ted should be the last person he knew from past.

Sighed, Ted changed back to his smiling face.

"They're…nice peoples." Especially Tir, his best friend. He always remained alone, away from peoples because of the Soul Eater. He had no friend before he met Lazlo. Lazlo should be consider as his first friend even they were not close. Adol was…okay, he should be the one, though he was annoying. And now, Tir. His father saved him and brought him back to Gregminister few years ago. He didn't expect he would be this close to Tir and the others.

"Yeah, I can see that." Took a glance at the group, Lazlo concluded. "I thought I might take you wrong; consider how much you have changed."

"Heh…but you're still the same, huh?" Ted smirked. "What are you doing within all these years?"

"Travel." All he did was travel. He didn't think there's anything he could do to kill the time.

"Ted, Tir is out!" Cleo's voice caught their attention. They both turned their heads to the young boy that came out from the room ahead.

"Are you done?" They walked to the boy—Tir McDohl.

"Yes, we need to report to Kraze." Tir noticed Lazlo. "He is…?"

"An old friend of mine."

"Lazlo here." H nodded to Tir, and Tir quickly replied him the same.

"He is Tir Mcdohl, son of the Six Great General Teo McDohl." Ted introduced, caused Tir shot him a frown.

"Stop introducing me like that." Tir said, only met with Ted's smirk.

From that, Lazlo could truly know how close they were. Back then, Ted never showed such happy look to anyone of them. He hated to be close to anyone, even Lazlo could only speak one or two words to him just because they both were true rune bearers.

"Lazlo, we're going back to Gregminister. What about you?" Ted asked.

"I'll stay here for a while."

Ted gave him a wave before he went with the others.

After the group gone, Lazlo saw Leknaat walked out from the room Tir went out a moment ago. She was still the same he could remember from the past.

"Nice to meet you again, Lazlo." She said.

"You look fine, Leknaat." He saw the magician blond stood beside her. "I came here to pay you a visit."

Laknaat only let out a light smile upon hearing that. She invited him to the guest room, and had the blond to serve him some tea.

"He is my apprentice Luc." She introduced.

Lazlo took the tea and tried it. The nature fragrance of the tea delighted his mood. He just took a taste of it and put it back on the table.

"I appreciate your visit to me, Lazlo." Leknaat took a drink of the tea. "However, people only come to visit me when they wish to know something."

"…You see through me." Lazlo smiled bitterly. "Leknaat, how long have you live?"

Leknaat just lifted her head. Though she couldn't see, she knew he was kind of desperate.

"How many astrology have you seen? How do you endure the pain for knowing something is going to happen but you're unable to stop it?"

Leknaat paused before she attempted to answer his question. Luc was somehow frowned, unhappy with the question he threw out.

The next she spoke, she seemed understood his problem.

"…Lazlo, you saw Ted. What do you think of him?"

The sudden question blinked Lazlo for a bit, but he remained changeless for his expression.

Why talked about Ted all if the sudden? He perplexed, answered without protested.

"…He changed so much. With the peoples around him, especially Tir, he looks so happy. I never saw him this happy before."

"Yes, that's it." Her face formed a smile. "He had been through many things in his life. He might have live more than 300 years. In the middle of his life, he met you, the same cursed rune bearer like him. From you, he learned to be responsibility to the rune. He chose to be with the rune again by his own will. And after came down to Scarlet Moon, he met Tir."

Lazlo waiting for more from her. Leknaat stood up, walked to the window side. "He wouldn't have met both of you if he didn't possess Soul Eater. As for me…indeed you're right. I saw many things which I was unable to stop them from happening. If I was capable, I might have stopped you from possessing the Rune of Punishment. However, thing always come with two sides."

She pushed open the window; let the wind blow into the room for some refreshment.

"Because you unlocked the forgiven phrase of the rune, you stopped the cycle of transferred from one to another. Now, let me ask you, what do you see from your long road journey?"

Lazlo stared at her while having his memories flew back to the past.

Possessed the Rune of Punishment truly caused him lost many things. First was Commander Glen, and then followed by the threatening of Kooluk. The rune put the nation and its peoples in war, and he was forced to bear the burden of leading the army to fight against it. But on the other hand, he met Lino and Flare, who later he knew as his family. He met Ted, built a true friendship with Snowe even after what he had done to him. Ended the war between Kooluk, met Kyril and started off to unfold the truth of Rune Canon. Became a Queen Knight in Falena, enjoyed the sunset and blowing wind in Grassland, the excitement when found something new in Crystal Valley…and finally here…he lost many things, yet gained many things from it.

"I…met a lot of peoples. I saw a lot of conflicts but at the same time, a lot of smiling faces. I knew my family. I knew many friends. I travel to many places…I couldn't have did it without possessing the Rune of Punishment."

His honestly answer greeted by Laknaat's warm smiling face.

"…Lazlo, being ageless is something terrible. But please remember; do not lose your heart. There's time you will falter, but always take a look at your journey you have came down, and what you have gained."

Lazlo nodded, let out a first smile since he has chatted with Leknaat.

"Thanks for talking to me, Leknaat. I feel better now."

"I'm glad to be a little help on this." She turned to him.

"I should take my leave, I guess." He stood up, prepared to leave. "Take care, Leknaat."

"Same to you." Laknaat scratched her hand to Luc. "Luc, please lead the way."

"Yes, master." Luc bowed, walked pass Lazlo to the door, opened it and waiting for Lazlo.

Lazlo made his step to the door, but before he was out of the room, Leknaat once again stopped him.

"…One last thing before you go." Lazlo turned around. "Leave this nation as soon as you can. Soon, Scarlet Moon Empire will engulf by war. You don't have to involve into this."

"…Why telling me this?" Frown formed on his face as he asked.

"…Because Ted has met the end of his journey. As your only remaining friend, you might try to save him." She lowered her head. If she was not blind, Lazlo might find some emotion in her eye. "Soon, Ted will be free from the rune yet his soul will trap within it. Do not worry, he chooses it."

Gazed down to the floor, Lazlo was forced out a smile. So he was going to lose his last friend? What a joke. He just met him a while ago…but from what he understood Ted, he would never gave up on his fate again.

"…Thanks for letting me know. I will not get myself into this. I have no intention." Turning his back to face Leknaat, he threw out his last question. "…When will I meet my end?"

"…It's still unpredictable." Leknaat revealed after a long silent.

"Thanks. I'll leave this nation as you told." Endured the fact he will lost a friend again, he stepped out of the room with Luc ahead of him.

They came down to the entrance. Luc opened the door for Lazlo.

"Thank you."

"…You seem so depressing." Luc could see from his blue ocean eye, like it hid a lot of memories and mix of feeling within it.

"You will understand this one day." He said as he walked away from the tower.

Luc watched Lazlo walked to the forest and lost sight of him. He then closed the door, returned to his master.

Later, war occurred between Liberation Army and Scarlet Moon Empire. Leknaat handed Luc a large stone tablet.

"What is this…?"

"Take this with you. I want you to join the Liberation Army, as my eye. Watch the war and think of it."

Luc took the stone tablet, and then stared at his master.

"_You will understand this one day."_

He suddenly remembered the grey haired man. A weird feeling rose up from his heart, a bad feeling he will understand what it meant later.

Even years had past, he would never forget it.

* * *

Um...This is slightly sequel to 'Promise' due to the fact of Lazlo is the former Queen Knight. I never intend to make this sound so desperate...but fine, let it be.


End file.
